African Storybook - Letter to mum

Letter to mum

Ursula Nafula

Catherine Groenewald

Mother was finishing packing her clothes in a small bag.

As she went out the door, she hugged me and said, "Bye for now."

"Where are you going, mum?" I looked up at her as I asked.

I started to cry wanting to follow her but dad lifted me up on his shoulder.

Dad said, "Your mother is going to the hospital to have a baby."

When I heard "baby" I stopped crying and looked at him. "Why is she going to get the baby from the hospital?" I asked him.

Dad sat me on a small chair and said, "I will tell you why she is going to get the baby from the hospital."

I listened keenly to him as he explained although I didn't quite understand why she wasn't having the baby at home. When dad finished explaining, I asked, "Will she still love me when she comes back with the other baby?"

My dad held me close and said, "We will always love you."

"Can I write a letter to her while she is there?" I asked dad.

That evening, I began to write a letter to mum.

I tore a paper from my exercise book and began to write.

"Mummy, mummy, dad said that you have gone to bring another baby."

Please hurry up and return home.

I want you to bring a baby girl, so I can play with her when she grows up.

You can bring two so one can be mine.

I am waiting for you here outside our house.

I folded my letter so I could give it to my father to bring it to mum. When I woke up the following morning, the letter was gone.

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Letter to mum

Author - Ursula Nafula
Illustration - Catherine Groenewald
Language - English
Level - First paragraphs